Muskrat Falls forensic audit, North Spur review needed

May 10, 2017

In the House of Assembly today, the NDP caucus asked some of the many questions that surround the controversial Muskrat Falls project. Top of the list was a demand for government to initiate a specialized investigation into the project’s initial cost projections, following revelations today from a former Nalcor engineer that the initial cost projections were completely unrealistic.

“Today a former senior engineer at Nalcor called for a forensic audit into the initial cost projections that led to sanctioning of the Muskrat Falls project,” said NDP House Leader Lorraine Michael (MHA, St. John’s East-Quidi Vidi).

“I ask the Premier, will he order such a forensic audit?”

While the numbers that supported proceeding with the project have always been controversial, people who live in Labrador near the site of the project are also concerned with issues of health and the safety of their communities.

“The Minister of Service NL was presented yesterday with a petition signed by more than 1,000 Labradorians calling for an independent expert review of the North Spur,” said Michael. “I ask the Premier, will he establish an independent review and provide the findings to the people of Labrador?”

NDP Environment Critic Gerry Rogers (MHA, St. John’s Centre) reminded the premier of a promise made last year.

“Government committed following a meeting with aboriginal leaders last fall to instruct Nalcor to release water from the Muskrat Falls reservoir to allow additional methylmercury mitigation measures,” she said.

“I ask the Premier, can he give the people who live downstream from Muskrat Falls a timeline on when this promise will be kept?”